Mariah Carey Receives BMI Icon Award

9/10/2012 3:20 PM ET

Mariah Carey took home the BMI Icon Award at the publishing association's Urban Awards over the weekend (September 7). Carey, who arrived at the event roughly an hour after it started, got the award in recognition of her illustrious songwriting career.

"I'm so humbled by this moment because a lot of people still don't know I write my own songs," Carey said in her acceptance speech.

At the event, in a chat with E! News, Carey said that, after all the years, songwriting remains her passion:

"It's so great. I've been writing songs my whole life, I love it. It's my favorite form of expression and release. Tonight's not really about diva dramatics or gossipy moments, it's about the music and that's what's important to me."